Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:54 pm

Hello all,

I've been trying to develop my skills in 3D modelling with Wings 3D (can't stay old school too long, you know) with the idea of using models to work out general shapes in more traditional illustrations (in the short term, anyway -- full-out rendering is more a long-term goal). I've sent in a sample packet to Palladium, but figured I'd go ahead and share some of what I've got done here.

I'd love to hear any and all feedback you folks might have. I'm still a newbie on the 3d side of things and can take all the tips/hints/tricks I can get. :ok:

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:11 pm

AWESOME! THose are spectacular art work! Thank you for sharing them.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:19 pm

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:47 am

Think of it as a more heavily armed version of the Scorpion.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:06 am

It's a great looking fighter! It looks very fast!

Ziggurat the Eternal · Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:12 pm

I like number 4, it reminds me of star trek.

Yeah, I am that old....

Josh Sinsapaugh · Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:49 am

Servo, I hope that Palladium taps you to do art for Fleets of the Three Galaxies.

Great stuff.

~ Josh

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:23 pm

His artworks is excellent. I agree. I do hope they tap you for "Fleet of the Galaxies."

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:32 am

gadrin wrote:Can you do some of the classic Rifts weapons ?

I don't have the L-20, but here's a couple that I have tried:

1.) The Northern Gun NG-P7 particle beam rifle from the Rifts main book.

2.) An attempt to create a photorealistic version of the Northern Gun NG-57 heavy-duty ion blaster by copying/pasting elements from photographs of actual firearms.

Aw, heck... I wasn't going to do this originally (as this thread was mainly to share some ship ideas), but most of the rest of the package that I sent Palladium last month can be found by clicking here. NOTE: the first seven color images are examples of my work as a colorist.

I also included the following that weren't in that particular set:

1.) A color job of good old Herr Doctor Vossen from HU's Villains Unlimited. I really like the skin tones, though I may someday go back and re-do the metallic parts... but I'm always my own worst critic...

2.) A masthead logo for ApocalypseZero's "Requiem" campaigns. You may have seen this at GenCon or Open House.

3.) Some logos I've done for various local groups... set "A" and set "B."

Josh Sinsapaugh wrote:Servo, I hope that Palladium taps you to do art for Fleets of the Three Galaxies.

Aramanthus wrote:His artworks is excellent. I agree. I do hope they tap you for "Fleet of the Galaxies."

Thanks guys. Actually, it was that very project that got me 'jump-started' on this -- I was toying with a similar concept (though more like Stock Ships from the old d6 version of the Star Wars RPG) when I was told that Fot3G was in the works. I'm crossing everything that doesn't hurt to cross (much, anyway) that I can get the opportunity to illustrate something there.

It's probably a tad bit obvious, but Palladium's various RPG illustrators have been a huge influence on my artwork over the years. It'd be seven different kinds of awesome to actually join their ranks.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:07 am

The new pics are awesome! I think the pistol is truly astonishing! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:05 am

I have seen some 3d that stunk. But I think his (thread creater) is excellent.

Daniel Stoker · Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:48 pm

Uncle Servo wrote:2.) An attempt to create a photorealistic version of the Northern Gun NG-57 heavy-duty ion blaster by copying/pasting elements from photographs of actual firearms.

I don't care what anyone else might think, but that looks great! And it doesn't hurt that it's one of my favorite guns from the game.

Daniel Stoker

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:04 am

Awesome new art! Thank you for sharing it! It is very cool!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:14 pm

::Darkstone:: wrote:Nice work, Uncle Servo! If I may suggest, scfi-meshes.com has a few really good spaceship oriented tutorials for Wings (at least one I know of done by a guy who does some pretty amazing 3d models of WH40K: Battlefleet Gothic models in Wings and Blender). My recommendation is simply something you can look to to bring your models up to the next level, and I'd love to see you trick these guys out!

Keep up the good work!

Great, thanks for the tip! :ok:

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:03 pm

Okay, so it's only been about 9 months or so since I last visited this thread... but I do have a few updates.

I have been doing some ship illustrations for Fandom Comics since this past summer.

Cord-Class Starfighter
Corellian Lancet Interceptor
121-B Interstellar Space Yacht

I'm also working on another one for the compilation release for the 1st (and really should be working on that right now). My 3d rendering is getting a skosh better than it was before, but I'm still light-years behind MADMANMIKE (and apparently DLDC as well). :-(

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:24 pm

el magico -- darklorddc wrote:I really like the heavy fighter/bomber in that first batch! Is PB going to use it?

Thanks. I'm also quite envious of the stuff you've put up here and on your outside gallery site. I have got to improve my own rendering skills. You guys are putting me to shame! :shock:

I don't know if PB is ever going to use that one though. It was in the sample set I sent Jason back in January; PB is obviously more than welcome to use it, but quite frankly if there's any interest on their part I'd love a chance to re-do it as there are areas I'm not happy with and intend to re-visit in the not-too-distant future.

el magico -- darklorddc wrote:From the second, the first fighter reminds me of a heavier version of the Naruni Broadsword. Has the same lines.
The other two are Star Wars? The last one looks like a mon cal design.

They're all Star Wars, actually. FC puts out fan sourcebooks for the Star Wars RPG. The compilation I mentioned in my last post is their supplement for the official Starships of the Galaxy book; it's previously been released chapter-by-chapter but it's coming out in one big PDF file with a few tweaks here and there.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:34 am

gadrin wrote:Nice work !

I like the line-art/comic book feel.

Is that it for your ships on FLICKR ?

Thanks! I've been heavily influenced by Palladium's stable of artists over the years -- Long, Breaux, Perez, Martin, Johnson, Williams, just to name a few -- so I guess I subconsciously go into these projects with the mental question of "how would this look in a PB sourcebook?" :lol:

As for Flickr ships... I've got two sets on my account; every ship I've done is in one or the other:

1.) My 3D Ship Models -- these are mainly rough models in early stages of development, but I hope to go back on some of the designs over the next few months and re-work them.

2.) My Palladium Samples from Jan '08 (plus some later additions) -- some of the better stuff I've done over the past 10 years or so. Most of the color stuff is what I did while at Dagger Comics and Head Press, but all the b/w stuff is what I've done pretty much either for FC or just for the heck of it. There are quite a few Rifts references (and a Robotech one or two as well).

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:56 am

gadrin wrote:Let me know if you do a line-art version of this puppy...it's sweet

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47267107@N ... 993358557/

And if I can ask a dumb-question: what are those things on the underside ?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47267107@N ... 993358557/
CG or Anti-Grav thrusters ? Outstanding!

Ah, the old ModPod concept. That's one of my first attempts at modelling... and therefore one of the ones I most want to go back and re-visit. From what's been dancing around in my head the past few months, the ModPod II will probably look quite a bit different -- but once I get things "like I like it" I'll probably flesh out the concept with stats/background and pitch it to the Rifter.

Those things on the underside are indeed anti-grav/CG units (depending on the setting). Good spotting!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:53 pm

gadrin wrote:I like your CAF unis...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47267107@N00/2986807495/

However I thought the dark grey was the color of the TGE Legionairre armor ? (that's from the DB2 book) I guess those TGE bastards don't respect intellectual property or trademark fashion statements!

Enh, I needed some standard uniforms for my PW campaign (really I needed a look for a CAF Officer NPC -- she's the redhead at the end) and was going for a look that resembled the CAF Fleet Officer illustration on p. 58 of the first PW book. It reminded me so much of the Imperial officers from Star Wars that I guess the gray scheme was a subconscious carryover. I had completely forgotten about the CAF Jumpsuit from p. 119 though -- even though it doesn't match up with the CAF Trooper illustration on p. 57 (what's that? A consistency error? How shocking... :lol:

). And has anyone ever found the rank symbols that are supposed to be listed with the CAF OCCs?

*shrugs* Oh well. I need to re-design those anyway... though I'll probably still use the ST:TNG-style color divisions.

gadrin wrote:How did you make those ? Online Hero-thingy ?

Yeah, I have to admit I've had a man-crush on a site called "Hero Fabricator" or something like that; it's a Brazilian website with no translation and my Portugese is spotty at best. The style used to be that of the Bruce Timm/Justice League, but recently they changed the format completely. Unfortunately the site seems to be down at the moment but I've linked it anyway for future reference.

gadrin wrote:Those big thick guys in the priest illos kinda resemble Prometheans...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47267107@N00/3098800658/
(the Type B. The Type D could be one of those "Baldy" noros).

Why, yes... yes they do... don't they... :twisted:

Another part of my Phase World campaign over on Explorers Unlimited's Otherworlds site. The group is investigating some of the ruins that Killer Apes are always found around (and they've found some already) and these are figures found in the murals/tapestries/statuary therein.

My Group -- the Loniceran Consignment Carrier Company (a.k.a. LC3)
LC3 Intro Thread
LC3 Adventure Thread #1
LC3 Adventure Thread #2

One NPC will probably seem rather familiar...

BTW, thanks to MADMANMIKE for unwittingly providing one of the ship designs; one of the PCs referenced a ship in his backstory and a few more have come from the same place, so I needed something that could fill the bill.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:55 pm

The future armada ship in LC3 looks better.

Maybe you can use more ships from ther.

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:25 pm

Awesome line art, Servo. I had no idea you were a talented artist. Your weapons & ships are especially well crafted. I do also like your 'JL' style illustrations. Did you have a template of some sort to work with on those, or was that entirely done by hand?

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:35 am

Danger wrote:Awesome line art, Servo. I had no idea you were a talented artist. Your weapons & ships are especially well crafted.

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.

Danger wrote:I do also like your 'JL' style illustrations. Did you have a template of some sort to work with on those, or was that entirely done by hand?

The JL style stuff was done online at the "Hero Fabricator" website I mentioned a few posts back. Unfortunately the site has changed format entirely and so the JL look is no longer there. I still like it better than HeroMachine though.

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:48 am

Uncle Servo wrote:
Danger wrote:Awesome line art, Servo. I had no idea you were a talented artist. Your weapons & ships are especially well crafted.

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.

I'll give you more kind words if you do more art like that.

C'mon, where can you get a fairer deal than that?

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:14 pm

high praise is good bribery...

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:26 am

taalismn wrote:high praise is good bribery...

That's what I'm sayin'!

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:56 am

It's nice to see more art Uncle Servo! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:53 pm

Danger wrote:I'll give you more kind words if you do more art like that.

C'mon, where can you get a fairer deal than that?

I don't have any new line art that I can share quite yet... but hopefully within the next few days I'll be able to...

In the meantime though, I do have some rough renders of that heavy fighter's re-vamp...

Front View
Rear View

I'm not through texturing the weapons, and I'm not 100% happy with certain areas that have been textured, but this is a more thorough rendering job than I've attempted so far.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:29 am

It looks very cool! I like it! I can't wait to see it after you work on it to where you think it is finished! I hope you'll post some stats on it when it is finished.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:48 pm

Alright, now that the sourcebook's been uploaded to the FC website I can post it here too:

SX-4 Troop Transport

It can be found on p.153 in the compiled Vehicles & Vessels chapter that can be found here.

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:18 pm

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:35 am

That is a cool ship! Any chance of getting stats on it? It looks like a CAF shuttle.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:05 pm

Aramanthus wrote:That is a cool ship! Any chance of getting stats on it? It looks like a CAF shuttle.

Thanks!

As this is supposed to be a Star Wars ship, there are Saga Edition stats/writeup for it... but for that same reason I don't think we'll be seeing Palladium-style stats.

Now that that sourcebook is completed though (at least for now) I am turning my attention back to Phase World/AU and revamping some old projects that have languished for a while. That fighter is one such project (when I'm satisfied with it I plan on submitting it to the Rifter); another one is taking this yacht model and toning down the Naboo look. Here's what I've gotten so far:

3/4 front view
rear view showing 'master suite' panoramic windows
side view

That 'monolith' behind the ship is to represent a 2m tall humanoid. The ship itself is 35m long x 26.5m wide x 7.6m tall.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:39 am

Nice set of stats! Thank you for sharing it. I was hoping it's be a ship for Phase World.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 12:15 pm

gadrin wrote:Hey Servo, what the basic dimensions on the SX-4 ?

20 meters long as I recall. The stupid thing about the SWRPG (I guess I really should instead say "one of the ever-increasing number of stupid things about Star Wars in recent years," but that's a rant for another thread) is that it no longer gives lenghts/widths/heights but rather unnecessarily vague size classifications. :badbad:

KS, if you're reading this PLEASE don't ever do something like that! I don't care if it's feet, meters, or parsecs (okay, maybe I do care if it's parsecs), but please keep actual dimensions on your ships!

Aramanthus wrote:Nice set of stats! Thank you for sharing it. I was hoping it's be a ship for Phase World.

You're welcome, although I had nothing to do with them (though probably wouldn't want to do too many and get this even further away from Rifts/Phase World). I had thought about working up PW stats for the illustrations themselves (such as re-inventing that Cord-Class Starfighter as a light interceptor from Bushido Industries), but it was suggested that doing so might cross that 'no conversions' line. :-(

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:35 pm

Update on the yacht revamp...

3/4 Front View
Rear View
Side View

The red color in the previous post was inspired by the shade available on the current model Honda S-2000 roadster, but in the end looked a bit too "harlot" (as a friend put it) so I went with a white base and added in some darker red racing stripes/accents. I also changed the hull texture as those panel lines were being a pain in the asteroids to match up.

There is still a good ways left to go on this one before I get ready for the Rifter or any other kind of 'grand unveiling,' but I'm happy with the way it's looking so far.

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:00 pm

Very nice.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:41 am

It's a nice revision! Very cool! I hope you'll provide us more material in the near future.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:48 pm

el magico -- darklorddc wrote:Is that a UV Map?

Yes it is. I based the hull texture off an image I found over at Filter Forge. Well, actually there are three different images at work here -- the white hull with red stripes, the red hull with white stripes, and the engine nozzles. The windows are a section of the hull texture image and hopefully will look a lot better once I get the faces resized to include the edges.

As I've said before, I'm still learning all the ins and outs of the software (this project alone has been a tremendous learning curve). I've just started playing around with bumps, lifts, and other functions -- hopefully this will one day be good enough to present as a finished image. :lol:

Aramanthus wrote:It's a nice revision! Very cool! I hope you'll oprovide us more material in the near future.

Thanks! I spent some time over the long weekend doing small updates, mainly working with the stripes on the engine pod. When I get enough done I'll likely post another update.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:52 am

Pretty awesome job. That is a job of patience. I'm not an artist, but I do appreciate it!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:15 pm

I'll have to take a look at that, thanks! :ok:

And I'll probably need it for this project. My player group over at Explorers Unlimited (The Templars, for those of you EU folks who don't know already) has a stripped-down Triax XM-140 hover platform (that's the one with the big missile on the inside splash page of the Triax/NGR book) that we're trying to get back up and running as a multi-purpose vehicle. I finally got tired of having to wrap my head around things using the Kev Long illustration so I started modeling it...

Front 3/4 view
Rear view
Front head-on view
Side view

I've still got a long way to go, but overall I'm happy with the way it's looking so far.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:37 am

Nice set of pics! I'm looking forward to seeing more of it as it continues to be more defined.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:34 am

I've done a couple (one of which is in my Flickr PB Samples set), but not the L-20. I'm about to have to do the NG-202 Rail Gun and the NG E-12 Plasma Ejector as they're what the hover platform is packing on those side mounts; if those turn out well I could give the L-20 a shot if you're needing one.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:49 pm

gadrin wrote:No that's fine. I was reading some posts on this BBS and saw that lots of people like the L-20. I had remembered you'd done that < render of a pistol that looks like a photograph > and just wondered how many other weapons you might have done that I missed.

That < render of a pistol that looks like a photograph > would be the NG-57 Heavy-Duty Ion Blaster. I seem to have some sort of NG fixation for some reason... :lol:

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:22 am

Nice links! I've seen that second GB before over there. I'm registered over there too. Nice rendering of a gun. Please keep up the work!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:55 am

gadrin wrote:I did come across these recently...

Glitterboy + Explorer Armor illo
http://www.scifi-meshes.com/gallery/sho ... photo/2810
http://www.scifi-meshes.com/gallery/sho ... photo/2284

I had seen the first one but not the second. VERY nice! PB should get whoever did that on the payroll. That'd make an awesome cover for a Rifter or sourcebook.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:47 am

I totally agree! I think that was around almost two years ago over there. I had it as a background for my work computer back then.

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:14 pm

Well, the yacht revamp and the hover platform have had to take a back seat of late... I was recruited by a player over at Explorers Unlimited's Otherworlds site to help her deckplan out a modified CAF Shuttle her character's getting. Of course, this necessitated my having to model out a CAF Shuttle to work from as a reference. There are a few bits here and there that I'm going to have to go back and work on (like the drop ramp), but overall I'm fairly well pleased with how it looks so far. Once I got done however I couldn't resist some blatant imitation of MADMANMIKE's 'beauty shots' with all the great ships he puts out:

And also some more traditional-looking (for me) images:

I flipped the width/height in order to keep the spirit of the illustration and tried to keep from taking too many liberties with the design... and I really hate to criticize the work of most of the Palladium Books artists... but great googly moogly, Breaux's illustration is heck-and-gone from the stats! :ugh:

I don't know if that's because stats got changed after the illustration was done or what... but even knowing that several ship illustrations weren't all that accurate it came as a surprise to me. Oh well, hopefully this is still recognizeable as a CAF Shuttle. :ok:

And on a completely unrelated note... Gadrin, are these CAF uniforms better than the old ones? :lol:

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:24 am

gadrin wrote:Reminds me of the Handbook of the Marvel Universe with their occaisional Uniform slots.

You had 'em too, eh? Right handy things, those books... :ok:

gadrin wrote:Now this is what I call a combat mage

Swee-hee-hee-eet!

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:15 pm

Awesome pics! Thank you for sharing them with us. I thought those uniforms looked sort of similiar to other. Thanks for the link Gadrin, nice pics there!

Uncle Servo · Unread post by **Uncle Servo** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:09 am

Thanks, I appreciate it. :ok:

My conscience has gotten the better of me however... I was commenting on how far off the original illustration was, yet the one I did wasn't that much closer to the stats. So with that in mind I went back and re-worked it to match up as closely to the description/stats as possible. It's changed the look of it considerably, but it's to within just under 3' in width (the turrets stick out just a bit).

Forums of the Megaverse®

Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...

Re: Some Projects I've Been Working On...